I am starting this thread to say thank you....

Both Britain and America have two things in common we are both nations that enjoy our freedom and have troops that are paying the highest price for that freedom we all love. we may not all agree with a lot that is said when we read some threads here in the forums, but i am sure you will all agree that these men and women all deserve our thanks.
this is an article about a young man that lived in newcastle near where i used to live. he paid the highest price his life and there are a lot more that are paying the same price every day

Thank you from the Berkshires of Massachusets...It is fitting that this thread has "appeared"...yesterday we had a memorial service at my old high school for a army helicopter pilot that died in Iraq last March. Not only was he an alumni from the same high school, but also a member of the same FD I'm on...along with being a neighbor to me......He graduated 6 years before I did...Needless to say, no current students remembered who he was....I sat in the auditorium completely amazed at how well the students behaved themselves and openly showed emotion during the ceremony, even though they never got to see Stephen walking the halls in his BDU's like I did...It made myself, along with the other FD members there very proud of our younger generation....The family was overwhelmed with sorrow, joy, respect...It has been a very hard year for them, but the "brotherhood" (Stephen's father is still a current member on the FD) and the community's outpouring has helped with this troubling time....
God Bless all those who are protecting us and our way of life...